


is the beat of my heart

by sandyk



Series: adventures in ... [4]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, domestic abuse, significant spoilers for Fringe season 1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 01:24:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21153290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandyk/pseuds/sandyk
Summary: Peter was angry. He was angry. He was angry constantly. Like a bomb exploded somewhere around his throat and he was just angry. It crept into his bones and sinew.Until he slowly wasn't.





	is the beat of my heart

**Author's Note:**

> For the trope bingo square bets and wagers. Title from the rem song oh my heart. thanks a!!!

Peter was angry. He was angry. He was angry constantly. Like a bomb exploded somewhere around his throat and he was just angry. It crept into his bones and sinew. Sometimes he thought he could touch it. He'd never really had this kind of sustained anger before. Even when Ben died, he wasn't this angry. 

He was angry at Tony, sure. He was angry at the world in general. He discovered he was angry at a lot of people he knew. If he and MJ ever broke up, he would cheerfully set her sister on fire. MJ's sister was a horrible person and he increasingly found himself unable to just nod lovingly when MJ talked about her. MJ barely talked about her, so that made it easier. 

When he went to his training at the Compound, Captain America was being nice and kind and restrained. Cap said, "Tony said you two aren't talking and I shouldn't ask about it." He paused manfully. Peter was really glad he would get to punch him in the face soon. Cap said, "But I know something about arguments. That's all."

"Great," Peter mumbled. "Thanks." 

He liked training with Cap because he never had to worry about holding back. It was really satisfying in that particular way that week. Peter also appreciated the significant beating Cap laid on him. That was good, too. 

He'd told Ned and MJ and May. Ned's considered response was a TV marathon. "We're going to watch Fringe," MJ said quietly. "Okay."

Ned nodded. "A genius named Peter with a genius father, serious daddy issues, and there's a twist and also, you guys, Anna Torv." Ned said Anna Torv very reverently. With a hint of lust. 

MJ nodded. "Okay, Anna Torv, bring it on."

He sat back on the couch with his arm around MJ and Ned in the easy chair. It was their usual set up, with Ned on the remote. They watched the first few episodes and Peter definitely appreciated that other Peter was also angry all the time. The story didn't exactly resonate otherwise. 

"Anna Torv, though," Ned said, reverently again. 

It took a few nights but they finally got to the end of season one. The big Fringe twist was the Peter in this universe had been kidnapped from the other universe after the Peter in this universe died. 

Peter was angry all over again. He got up off the couch and just threw himself out the window and up. He was just so sick of so-called loving fathers who were also acting like sociopaths. He was really glad for the nanotech suit so he could just be in the suit when he decided to just be an asshole.

He didn't want to examine his anger or go to therapy like May had suggested. He wanted to push himself and he wanted to save people. He wanted to help people. 

He texted Ned later to apologize because he wasn't actually an asshole. He was just going through a phase. 

MJ said, "Now you should totally get paid."

"For being Spiderman?" Peter was typing angrily on a report for school. 

"You know you're in the will, why not get some early?" MJ stared at him. She wanted an answer. 

"I don't want money for being Spiderman," Peter said. 

"Then get money for everything else so you can be Spiderman. Like, why should you pay for your applications, or May? Or college visits or backpacks? You're not just the mentee of a billionaire, you're in the family."

Peter said, "Maybe."

He emailed Happy. He wrote "I could use some help on " and then deleted it. He wrote "I assume you know by now and I need " and deleted that. He settled on "The total for my college applications is" and put in the exact amount. A day later Happy came to him right after school. Happy handed him an unlabeled red card. 

"Use it for whatever you want," Happy said. "Stay in touch, kid."

Peter nodded. He didn't want to snarl at Happy. He assumed the card had no limit and he could go buy a fucking Tesla and it would go through. Or an even more expensive car. Something vintage and sweet. Peter rubbed his thighs and focused on something else. 

He'd put up the picture of his lookalike dead great-uncle with his murdered grandmother and other dead great-uncle. It was in his room. If it went in the living room, at some point it would end up on Instagram in one of Aunt May's stories. She was really into Instagram stories. 

MJ said, "You're not identical, though."

Peter looked up from his bed. MJ was barely wearing anything and he found it easy to concentrate past his anger to pay attention to her. MJ said, "Dude. I mean, his ear lobes are detached and yours are attached. That's a difference."

"Not much else," Peter said. 

"No," MJ said. "We could definitely put this on tumblr and make a case for you being immortal or something."

"Except that picture is from the sixties or something, not the eighteen sixties." Peter leaned back a little to try to look cool. "You could come back here."

MJ laughed. "That's not seductive at all." 

He still went to see Morgan. Maybe it was some kind of genetic recognition effect, but he just really loved hanging out with her. He'd go see her every week and they'd just hang out. Pepper was always there but just when he came in and when he left. He didn't try to talk to her. She never made him angry. 

Peter would sit on the floor of Morgan's room and she'd babble at him and they would play with building blocks or stuffed animals or he'd read at her. She was obviously pretty smart. She loved to be picked up and held and he'd spin her around just to hear her laugh. 

Tony had clearly made the building blocks. They were moldable, they could lock into place, they changed colors. Peter wondered if he'd been in the lab when Tony made them. He didn't remember it. Another moment he decided to just be angry. Except not with Morgan at all. 

Morgan's room was painted a very soft blue. There was a line of photos that went all the way around the room. They were mostly in chronological order. Pictures of Pepper's grandparents, pictures of Howard and Maria Stark, two more pictures of Peter's lookalike, pictures of Pepper and Tony as children, Rhodey, Happy. Pictures of Morgan with Pepper, Tony, Rhodey and Happy. Pictures of Peter that he barely glanced at. It felt very merry. 

One of the pictures was Peter and Tony. He never looked at that one. 

Together they built a dining room and put some of her stuffed animals in the chairs. Morgan made them all laugh. 

As he was leaving one week, Pepper said, "She really wants to go to the zoo. You could take her."

"Are you, are you sure? I mean, I'd love to," Peter said. "Okay."

He brought MJ because he wasn't taking a toddler to the zoo by himself. Plus, Morgan knew MJ and liked her. 

Happy picked them up at Peter's apartment. Morgan was already in the back seat in a very high tech car seat. MJ said, "Pretty sure that things could survive if the entire car shredded around us."

Peter said, "I bet that was the design goal."

Morgan waved and giggled. She had the greatest laugh. It took a solid three minutes to get Morgan out of her carseat. Peter held her on his hip as they walked into the zoo. There hadn't been many pictures of Morgan that got out but there were a few. Still, she was basically a toddler with brown hair wearing big sunglasses and a floppy pink hat. 

Morgan laughed again as they started walking through the zoo. MJ made faces at her until they got to the actual animals. Then MJ got out her sketchbook and did quick sketches. Peter put Morgan down so Morgan could watch MJ and point out suggestions. Peter literally kept a hand on Morgan the whole time. 

Morgan didn't talk a lot. Pepper and Tony had taught her baby sign. She signed all the time. She was already forming full sentences between sign and talk, she was pretty ahead of all of her milestones. 

Peter bought food for the three of them with his special red card. Morgan didn't smear her food on her face. She forced MJ to eat some of her ice cream. MJ ate delicately. 

Morgan had to pee. Peter said, "I'll take her in. It's fine, I'm sure, you know, I'm her brother."

MJ said, "Stop being ridiculous. I can take the girl toddler into the bathroom. We'll be fine." MJ grabbed Morgan's hand and off they went. 

Nothing happened. Everything was fine. Nobody noticed Peter calling Morgan Stark his sister. They were all exhausted at the end of the day. MJ ripped out the pages from her sketchbook that Morgan had helped with and put them next to Morgan's carseat. She leaned on Peter as Happy drove them home and he had to wake her up when they got to his apartment. He kissed Morgan goodbye. She patted his face and said, "Brother."

Peter was still angry. He used his stupid red card for all sort of lunches and random gifts to people he ran into on patrol. Peter didn't even really think about Tony seeing the bills. 

Ned said, "Maybe you can do something with all that money. Like, I dunno. Pay your college tuition?"

"I figure that's covered, Ned," Peter said. He didn't smile. "New subject."

He did email Happy and ask what to do about financial aid forms. He saw Pepper the next day when he went to visit Morgan. She said, "Don't do any of the financial aid forms, you're one of those students who pay the full ride." 

Peter had a lot of feelings about that one, like, anger and irritation. Lots of shades of irritation. But he said, "Okay, got it."

There were new pictures in Morgan's room, a picture MJ had to have taken of Peter and Morgan at the zoo and some of MJ's sketches were in simple frames on the wall. It looked cool. He took a picture to show her. 

He had dinner with May after he sent out all his applications. College seemed so surreal. But May took him out and they ate at a tiny plastic table. Peter slapped the red card on the table and said, "No way you're paying."

May said, "So you're too angry to actually talk to him for two months now but you'll take his money."

"I don't want to talk about it," Peter said. 

"I get it, kiddo, but it's been two months. We're past the part where I let you figure it out on your own."

He looked away from her and said, "I'm allowed to be angry."

"Of course you are," May said. "Why are you angry? Specifically, right now."

Peter shrugged. He almost cried. He wiped at his face. He said, "He knew before he even met me."

"That's a reason," May said. She didn't seem to think it was a reason. 

"Is that enough? Can we move on?"

May shook her head. "Fine," she said. "I'm coming back to this. You know why? Because I love you. Because you're a great kid."

Two nights later, MJ called at two am. She never called that late. She texted or she emailed, but just this one time only she called. Her voice was very small and quiet and she said, "Please come and get me. Don't freak out."

He absolutely freaked out. He put on the suit as he went out the window. He went to her apartment where she lived with her sister. That was the place where she'd be if she had to call Peter to come get her. He was right. She was already outside, huddled near the door. He hugged her tentatively. "Are you okay?"

"Just take me somewhere, okay?"

"I'll take you home," he said.

She said, "Can we just Uber? I don't want to swing around."

"Of course," he said. He got the suit off. Now he was a teenager in jeans and a t shirt in December in New York City. Instead of Uber, he texted Happy. 

Three months ago, he would have called Tony. But Happy would help and he was just in Manhattan. 

When Happy got there, Peter said, "I called Happy instead, okay?"

"Good plan," MJ said. She looked exhausted. She held onto his arm but she wasn't getting too close. 

Happy got out and said, "No one's home at the mansion. For the next two weeks."

"Okay," MJ said. She was so close to falling asleep. Peter took her hand while they rode in the fancy car. 

When they got to the mansion, Happy led them inside. Instead of the way Peter usually went to see Morgan, Happy led them deeper on the first floor. He said, "You have a room, Peter. It's a whole suite, basically."

MJ said, "So it's decorated in Porg wallpaper with Chewbacca sheets?" 

Peter smiled at her and squeezed her hand. The room was actually decorated generically. The only sign the room had been meant for Peter's use was a picture of Morgan on the bedside table. Happy said, "My room's on the other side of the kitchen. Call me if you need anything, otherwise I'll see you at breakfast, okay?"

"Okay," MJ said. "Thanks."

She sat down on the bed and took off her jacket. She was in her pajamas. There were bruises on her arm. Peter pressed his lips together. He said, "I'm sure you can stay here as long as you need while you figure things out."

"Things are figured out," MJ said, her voice firm. "I just need to see which aunt'll take me for the rest of the school year."

"Okay," Peter said, nodding. She looked so fucking miserable and tired. He took out his phone and texted May the barest essentials. He got on the bed with MJ. He threw her bag off the bed and got her tucked in. She was uncharacteristically pliant. He said, "Okay if I stay with you?"

"Duh," she muttered. He pulled her close, careful of her bad side. She said, "My phone was in that bag. Can you, like, put on something to sleep to? Not some horrible meditation."

He found a playlist she'd sent him on Spotify and hit play. "Some rocking dance tunes," he said. 

"Perfect," she said. Her voice was so soft. He kissed the back of her neck. 

In the morning, he woke up with his school alarm, which gave him forty five minutes to get to school from his apartment back in Queens. MJ wasn't quite awake. Peter got up and looked up for Happy in the kitchen. 

"If you need a ride to school, you're up too late."

"Nah," Peter said. "Probably not. No school today."

MJ came in and immediately started making coffee. It was a pretty sophisticated machine. Peter could picture Tony in his pajamas doing the same thing. Then he realized there were slight bruises on her neck. 

He said, "Good morning. Can we go arrest her now?"

"You can't arrest anyone," MJ said. "You're not a cop. And no, we're not calling the cops on a mentally ill black woman." She rubbed her forehead. "I'll just see what Aunt will take me. Just like I said last night." 

She opened the refrigerator which was very lightly stocked. Happy hadn't been lying about the family being away. "Don't,” she said, her voice breaking. "Don't, you don't get to be angry for me. Not on this one."

"Even though I love you?" Peter watched Happy walk swiftly out of the room. 

"She had a bad night. It was never a good idea for her to watch over me and you don't know anything about it," MJ said. 

"I know she makes you feel shitty all the time," Peter said. 

MJ shook her head. "I'm gonna ask May to go get my stuff. I don't need you to get into all this with her."

"May's very diplomatic," Peter said. "It's fine. But I still get to be angry."

"Yeah, you're an angry young man." 

He said, "I can make breakfast."

"Whatever," MJ said. She sat down next to him and grabbed his hand. "You're actually being really great. And I love you. And I'm glad you're the secret lovechild of a billionaire so we can randomly crash in his mansion while he's in Bali."

"I think lovechild is overstating it. One night stand child. He's in Bali?" 

"Yeah," MJ said. "Me and Pepper keep in touch."

"But not Tony, right?"

"No, not Tony," MJ said. "Even though you never bother to actually say why you're so angry, because you're you and I love you, I don't talk to Tony." 

Then May called and he passed the phone to MJ. There were a ton of logistics. Peter trusted May to deal with logistics. He just did what May told him to on things like that. Happy came back and he took his orders, too. 

"And you get it, right, Peter? Seriously, no cops, no teachers. I don't want to deal with social workers," MJ said. They were sitting in the living room, waiting for Happy and May to come back. 

"I got it," Peter said. 

"There are a lot of pictures of you, here," MJ said. "And some of sixties-you. But those pictures are mostly upstairs."

Peter looked around. "There are, I guess. I guess Tony decided to let it all hang out or something. But he didn't tell anyone. I mean, Happy. He told Happy. But none of the Avengers know."

"Well, I guess he doesn't entertain them here. Cause you're there and there and there." MJ pointed around the room. 

One of the pictures was from third grade. "Where did he get that?"

"Probably from May," MJ said. "I know they talk."

"They do?" He was getting angry all over again. 

"Yeah, Peter. Just because you're currently not speaking to him, he's still, he's Tony." MJ crossed her legs and got up again. "Why are you still angry with him?"

Peter shrugged. "I just am, okay? I feel, I feel betrayed."

"Like May when you finally told her you were Spiderman?" MJ was still pacing. 

"No, not like that at all," Peter said. It was nothing like that. He didn't want to be angry at MJ. "It's not. Because my actual reasons for not telling May was to protect her and Tony had no reason to not tell me. He didn't want me to know because it was easier for him. He could just act like my father and keep his fucking secrets and have everything simple."

MJ said, "Okay. That makes sense. Thank you for actually saying it."

MJ's Aunt Mitzi agreed to take her in. She came over to the mansion and looked around like she was very uncomfortable. Peter liked Mitzi. She had a large collection of patterned cardigans, mostly florals. She loved MJ, too. MJ wouldn't have her own room but Mitzi was talking about maybe moving. Peter said, "Maybe Happy can help with that."

Happy said, "What?"

MJ said, "By Happy helping, you mean Happy's employer is going to subsidize the move and my new apartment?"

"Yeah," Peter said. "I've listened to your lectures about pride and charity, MJ. It's nothing to him, right?"

Mitzi said, "Tony Stark is going to pay for our new apartment? Why would he do that?"

"Because he really likes MJ," Happy said. "He does. He's said so to me. He likes to help people." Happy looked at MJ like he thought MJ would approve. 

Mitzi said, "I guess I get what you're saying?"

MJ said, "Yeah, the billionaire likes me." She sounded pretty sour. She glared at Peter. But damn it, Peter could help her right there and then with money. Money would help her and he had it. 

MJ went back to school and so did Peter. Then Peter went to orchestra and played the viola. He went on patrol. He got punched into a wall. He texted May and went to the mansion since MJ was still there. He used his key to get in and took off his mask for the retina scan. 

He walked quietly to MJ's room and knocked on the door. She said, "Come in, Peter." 

He opened the door and then got in bed with her. She said, "Do you have a key? I had to have Happy let me back in every time."

"I have a key and there's a retina scan. I bet Tony has me programmed at all his places."

"Even before he told you," MJ said.

"But after he already knew," Peter said. "Since you brought up Tony, I get to bring up your sister. I know what you're saying about the police. But there should still be consequences. Right?"

MJ sighed. She said, "You know Wendy's mom has been in jail for eighteen years for abusing Wendy. Do you think that helped anyone?" Peter tugged her closer. She said, "Yes, there's consequences. She moved out of the apartment into my Grandma's. My dad and my grandma are going to find someone to help her. Someone in the neighborhood."

"Who looks out for you? How come you don't count as much?" He was, for once, not angry about something. He just wanted the best things for MJ. 

"Because I'm more resilient," MJ said. 

"That's not fair," Peter said. 

"Yeah, but that's the way it is," MJ said. She didn't look happy about it. 

The next week, Peter's worst nightmare came to pass. An Avengers level threat that required him to work with Iron Man. 

It wasn't actually Peter's worst nightmare. His worst nightmare involved Morgan dying because of him, and then everyone realized Peter was responsible for Ben's death and they all yelled at him or spoke sadly to him and May stopped talking to him, just like Tony and Pepper. Then MJ died, too. It was all awful. It was definitely worse than any of his real awful memories. 

So metaphorical nightmare time, he was on the Quinjet on the way to Wyoming. There were bad guys. Maybe they had worked with HYDRA. But now they were in Wyoming, all about white supremacy, trying to create enhanced white power soldiers. Everyone involved was scared enough of possible enhanceds that a lot of Avengers were coming for them. Besides Peter, there was Captain America, Black Widow, Falcon, War Machine, Iron Man and Vision. A voice in Peter's head that sounded like MJ was saying 'sausage fest.' 

Peter listened very carefully and dutifully to Cap's briefing and plan and the lair schematics because he really didn't want the lecture about being childish and letting his spat interfere with important work. Vision, Tony, and Rhodey exited and flew on their own behind the plane. 

They were about two minutes away when Peter's spidey sense went ballistic. He shouted, "Everybody out, go!" He lunged for Nat at the front, saw Cap and Sam bail out. He grabbed a parachute and pulled Nat out of her seat (she'd already released her seat belt). He did a flip jump out of the jet at the same time he felt something burning and hot right beneath him aimed in the opposite direction. 

The parachute was toast. Nat said, "I hope you have one in that suit." He did, of course. 

Cap said, "That enhanced blew up the quinjet, coming straight at you three."

"Got it," Rhodey said. "Hard to miss this guy."

Everything was quiet on the coms and Peter aimed himself and Nat at the tree line. There was a burst of noise on the coms and then Tony said, "We got the little match boy. He's in a trap suit heading back."

"He runs real hot," Sam said. "Sure he'll be safe in a suit?"

"We conked him on the head pretty hard," Rhodey said. "He stopped being so hot."

Peter and Nat landed in a tree and got down pretty easily. Cap ordered them to take the side approach. As they got close to the lair, Peter said, "I think we need a re-read on those schematics. This shape is wrong."

Vision said, "He is correct. I will get the correct plan." Even Peter didn't see Vision flying over them and in the lair and out. But he did because Vision beamed the actual correct plans to his display. Peter waved down Nat and showed them to her from there. The wonders of technology. 

So Peter and Nat were still doing the left side approach, but now they knew better where they were headed. The two of them easily got over the wall and got a few yards in before they ran into resistance. Resistance was two clearly enhanced guys. They were large and strong. They were also bulky and not good at moving with ease. Nat was doing fine but they needed to move quick. He said, "Oh, I got this. You go on." He punched guy A into the wall and kicked guy B in the chest. It was a narrow hallway, this was actually easy. 

Nat nodded and slid on through to go deeper in. Guy A reached out and grabbed at Peter's ankle. Peter kicked at him with his other leg and while it was very effective in getting guy A to slump to the floor, he still had time to compress Peter's ankle hard. "Ouch," Peter said under his breath. He still managed to take out Guy B so they were both unconscious. He webbed them both to the hallway. 

He caught up with Nat easily. "They know we're here," she said. It was pretty easy to keep his weight off his bad ankle. 

Cap said, "Yup." It was leadershippy monosyllabic help. 

Peter said, "Where are they all hiding?" 

"They're not all hiding," Sam said with a grunt. "We've got this idiot in front of us."

"We dealt with our idiots," Nat said. "Have you seen any unenhanced types? Like the main guys who are doing all this?"

"I dealt with our idiots," Peter said. "But Nat could have, too, she was doing great." He tried to walk a little on the bad ankle and it wasn't so bad. 

"Do we have a count on the number of people in this place?" 

"Excellent question, Captain," Vision said. "I believe there are only around twenty people present. We will begin our descent to the main area."

"This enhanced guy is finally done with," Sam said. 

Peter and Nat were still traveling to the same center area. The lair was pretty makeshift and looked like unfinished construction chic was the mode of decorating. If you could call that decorating, Peter thought. He had a little low level buzz from his spidey sense but it was about what he expected. Then it spiked and he jumped forward to cover Nat. He felt warmth and heat behind him. Then he heard crumbling from below him. That sounded ominous but he'd bet they were okay for now. 

"Three explosions," Tony said. "Looks like the unconscious guy we sent away blew up, and all the enhanceds you guys beats up did the same."

Rhodey said, "Triggered by them? Or something triggered by the scientists."

"Triggered," Cap said. "We were watching that guy when he blew, he was surprised."

"That's awful," Peter said. He was always the only one saying that kind of thing. 

"Well, they were white supremacists who volunteered," Sam said. "But yeah, still awful."

"No one deserves to get blown up," Peter said. "Generally, I'm sure everyone is now thinking of specifics."

"Let's save this discussion for later," Nat said. 

"Gladly," Peter said. 

He could see Sam and Cap, they had reached the entrance to the main area. Naturally, this was when four different enhanceds came swarming out of the doors. None of them were as big as the last two so Peter went straight to the ceiling and crawled over them to the open doors. The main area was big and stocked with laboratory equipment and a few scientists and more enhanced people. These guys were really into human experimentation. It was gross. 

Vision was already there. He looked up and carved a hole in the ceiling big enough for Tony and Rhodey to come in. All four of them easily dodged the scientists' weapons and Peter started webbing up the scientists. He could hear Tony informing the enhanced people about the triggers implanted in their friends that had made them blow up. It didn't help. All four guys started banging around. But none of them were even trained or smart. It took about two minutes. "How do we keep these guys from blowing up those guys?" Peter gestured at the subdued enhanceds. 

Nat and Cap and Sam had stopped their four and were in the door, too. "I think that was a bad thing to say," Rhodey said. 

"It was an innocent question," Peter said. He was already angling towards Nat and Sam. Everyone else had enough armor or was Cap. Or was whatever Vision technically was. 

One of the scientists started babbling and he had Tony and Rhodey firing something to try and stop them. Peter could tell it was too late even before everything went boom. He positioned himself over Nat and Sam, braced for the pain. 

It was a lot of pain. It felt like the whole building was up against Peter's back. But it wasn't, because he could see a lot of the building around them. "Check in," Cap said. "I'm on what used to be the roof, looks like everything collapsed."

Everyone checked in, Rhodey was down in the rubble with Peter, Nat and Sam. Nat said, "We can get out if you guys break us an opening. You should do it quickly, Peter has a pipe through his stomach."

"It's not that bad," Peter said. He was lying. It was really really painful but he would get better. And a lot sooner than Nat or Sam would. 

It was another five minutes before Nat and Sam were freed and Vision was holding Peter up as he disconnected Peter from his new pipe accessory. "Where are we off to?" Peter was mumbling but it was just the blood loss and shock. 

Peter didn't hear the answer but when he opened his eyes he was in the back of another quinjet. "Neato," he said.

"I just want," Tony said, pacing somewhere to Peter's left. "I feel like we need to have a conversation about using our breakable bodies as armor."

"Not listening," Peter said. "Not participating in this narrative." He closed his eyes again and thankfully passed out. 

When he woke up he was in the usual medbay back at the compound. He knew he hadn't been seriously injured because they'd moved him from whatever was near Wyoming to upstate New York. May said, "No, you dumbass, you were in Wyoming for a full day before they brought you here."

"Ha, but it was only a day," Peter said. "It sucks that all those people died even if they were scum."

"I agree," May said. "But you are going to be talking to Cap about this urge you have to protect everyone."

"I heal, they don't," Peter said. "Not as much."

"But they've made it this long," May said. "Anyway, I trust Cap on this one. Can we talk about you and your anger issues?"

"It's mean that you're using this time when I'm trapped in bed to bring this up," Peter said. "Ouch. Ow."

"Stop it," May said. "I told you we were going to talk about this."

"Don' wanna," Peter said.

"That's real mature," May said. "I'm waiting."

"There are cameras in here," Peter said, feebly. 

"Oh, please," she said. 

"I'm just angry," he said. "I hate all of this. I hate everything."

"You don't hate everything. Or even all of this," May said. "You hate a little of this."

"I want Ben and my parents back," Peter said. "Why can't I have that?"

"God, I wish," May said. "That would be great." She squeezed his hand. "It really would be great."

"Right?" Peter turned on his side away from her. "Can I sleep now?"

When he woke up, it was Nat sitting next to him. She said, "Maybe you should make up with Tony."

"Is this a thing where you have a bet on when we make up or something? Cause that's awful. My life isn't a game for you to speculate on," he said.

"Touchy," Nat said. "No one's betting on you and Tony. He just seems miserable and so do you."

"I'm less miserable because I feel righteous," Peter said. He was still in pain. 

"Really?" Nat was quiet. She was a master of being silent and drawing out other people. But Peter had the pain in his ankle and his stomach to concentrate on. 

Finally he said, "I'm good. Do you think Cap is going to lecture me a lot about the whole breakable body thing?"

"Interesting choice of words," Nat said. 

"Fine, fine," Peter said. "I'm gonna make myself pass out."

When he finally got out of medbay and completely recovered, Bruce insisted on doing a full medical panel. "We've never really tested your capabilities or what's going on with you. I know Tony's done some bloodwork, but we need to be more precise."

"Got it," Peter said. He slumped down in his chair. "I guess he already told you everything. The paternity thing."

"He's your dad?" Bruce sat back and looked shocked.

"You said you talked to Tony, he loves you. I thought you were saying he told you everything." Peter made air quotes. "You know,_ everything."_

"He didn't tell me that," Bruce said. "Like your biological dad, really?"

"Yeah, really," Peter said. "He technically didn't know until I was fifteen, but before he ever introduced himself to me."

"That's an issue, huh?" Bruce nodded. "Okay. You don't want to talk about it, right?"

"Not at all," Peter said. "That's why I'm not talking to him."

"Great, let's not talk about it," Bruce said. "Let's draw some blood." 

Bruce really meant it. He just wanted to see what Peter could do and how he did it. It was pretty fun after the blood work.

He'd only missed about a week of school. He'd missed more. Not much more. But he made up the work with a little bit of effort. A little less patrolling and he was all caught up. So he had time to hang out with Ned, not think about college acceptance and watch more Fringe. "I don't love this show, Ned."

"Anna Torv," Ned said. 

Peter preferred MJ but he didn't want to upset Ned. Or diminish his enjoyment. Peter said, "I don't get this. Why does he just forgive Walter? It's bullshit."

"I agree," Ned said. "I definitely have some quibbles with the writing as we get further along. But Anna Torv is great in every episode."

"Absolutely," Peter said. "You know who really loves Fringe?"

"Captain America?" Ned actually turned away from the screen. 

"No," Peter said, laughing. "I don't think he really does binge TV. Falcon. Sam Wilson loves Fringe. I made one crack about cortexiphan and he was all over me. He has some very strong feelings about the show."

"He's a great guy," Ned said. "You're never gonna forgive Tony."

"I probably will," Peter said. "I can't keep this up forever. I mean, Tony didn't actually kidnap me from another dimension to replace his dead kid."

"Walter wasn't replacing his dead kid," Ned said. "He was griefstricken. He lost his child. I bet there were times he actually forgot it wasn't his Peter."

Peter coughed into his soda. "You feel really strongly about this."

"I do, Peter," Ned said. "It's a great show. It's a fantastic show. And it has Anna Torv. And, if you're just gonna forgive Tony eventually, you should do it now. You've made your point, man."

"Isn't that bad writing? You just said it was bad writing."

"I said I had quibbles with the writing. I didn't say it was bad writing. Also, you forgiving Tony isn't bad writing, it's a decision you're making over time and it's been months and you have a lot less to forgive than Peter Bishop. Who had an actual crime committed against him," Ned said. 

"My parents were murdered, and my birth mother," Peter said. 

Ned said, "You're not forgiving the person who did that."

"Fine," Peter said. "Fine. I'll end it right now."

"Awesome," Ned said. "Are you gonna call him?"

"No," Peter said. "Nope. Maybe I'll text. Or, um, email. I'll email him." So Peter stormed to his room and turned on his laptop. He could use a new one. Maybe that was why Ned was so on this. "Why are you pressuring me?"

"Because I care about you. I want you to be happy," Ned said. "You were happier before you were angry at Tony all the time."

Peter stared at the mostly blank screen. He couldn't even pick a subject. He finally said, "Ned. You should write it. I can't think of what to say. Be my guy in the chair."

Ned came in Peter's room. He looked at Peter like Peter was an asshole. He was definitely right. Peter said, "Please?"

Ned shook his head and rolled his eyes but he walked over and sat down. "I'll do it," Ned said. 

Peter went back to watching Fringe. He actually just sat on the sofa and left the show paused. This looked like a pretty heavy Anna Torv episode. 

Ned said, "Sent." He came over and sat down next to Peter. "Thanks not unpausing it. But I've seen this episode."

"You've seen all of these before," Peter said. "You're just using my emotional crisis to get me to binge your new favorite show."

"Part of the reason I like it so much is because the story of a genius Peter really resonates a lot with me. Even though this Peter is a lot taller than you."

"That's just TV tricks. He's probably like, 5'8"," Peter said.

"No, he's really over six feet tall," Ned said. 

"Awesome," Peter said. He felt his phone beep. He looked down and he had a text from "Fuck This Guy." Peter grinned, he'd forgotten he'd done that. 

The text said "lunch or dinner?"

"I'm answering this tomorrow," Peter said. 

Unfortunately, he didn't answer it by lunch, so he was sitting at lunch with everyone from decathlon when he got another text except his phone was on his seat on the other side of the table. There had been some demonstrating of principles of velocity. Peter really liked swoopy hand gestures. 

Flash held up Peter's phone. He said, "Parker, Fuck this guy wants to know if you want lunch or dinner? Should I tell him to fuck off? I can type it for you."

"Please no," Peter said, lunging across the table with more dexterity than he should have had. 

MJ said, "Are you having lunch or dinner with fuck this guy? Really, Peter?"

"Really, MJ?" Peter made a face. He opened his phone and texted back. He decided on lunch on Sunday. 

MJ said, "Is fuck this guy who I think he is?" 

"We can just go somewhere and talk about it," Peter said. 

"I want to know who this guy is," Betty said. "Share with all of us."

"No," Peter said. 

MJ said Peter should check to see what Ned wrote. Peter read it out loud to her. 'Dear Mr. Stark, even though this is Peter's account, it's me, ned, writing this email. Because Peter told me to. He forgives you but he's really bad at email composition apparently. You two should have a meal together. Probably Sunday. Sincerely, Ned Leeds.'

"That's a great email, Ned," MJ said to him. 

Ned nodded. "I know."

He was still angry but it kept fading. "Ask him about your college tuition," May said. "I know you said Pepper said you don't have to worry about it, but let's just make sure."

"He's a billionaire," Peter said. "Even Columbia University isn't that expensive."

"Ask him if he's going to take it all public," May said. "Is that what you want? You okay with everyone knowing about this?"

"Why would everyone have to know?" Peter sat down at the kitchen table and started eating his salad. So many greens Peter drenched in dressing. 

"Because he's also famous. He's Tony Stark. People already noticed you were his favorite intern," May said. "Remember that picture of you on Page Six?"

"I remember," Peter said. He started on his soup. 

"So you don't think people will notice you even more when you're part of the family?"

Peter sighed. "Maybe?"

"That's something you should talk to him about. Or if you want to spend more time with him. Like weekends or a week or a two --"

"Like custody? Weekends with Dad? I'm too old for that," Peter said. "I graduate high school next year and then I'm off to college."

"When you come home from college, are you going to come here? Maybe you could go to his mansion. Or his other mansions. You like spending time with your sister, that's where she's going to be." May was very calm about all this. 

"I like spending time with you," Peter said.

"I know," May said, smiling. "Acquiring a second parent doesn't mean you love me less, I get it."

"I'm definitely going to take his money," Peter said. 

"I'm glad you're so clear about it," May said.

Saturday night he patrolled a little, got beat up a little, and went to MJ's new place after. They cuddled on the bed and MJ started a movie. She was working through a list of great women directed films. Mostly they were awesome, but there had been some really really slow ones. Peter pulled MJ's hair away from her neck and kissed her delicate lovely skin. MJ laughed. She said, "Do you wanna fuck? Is that what this is?"

"You're you, I always want to fuck."

MJ said, "You wanted to say 'make love,' didn't you?"

"I really did," he said, rubbing his hand up her thigh. 

He loved that MJ had her own room in the new apartment. She seemed happier, too. She had bookcases she'd already filled with books and art supplies everywhere. She had a new laptop, too. 

She also had her own very nice bed. She had a pretty firm mattress and very nice sheets. In the new apartment, she even left the light on when they made love. She was definitely in a happier place. 

She put on music because sometimes Peter was loud. He didn't mean to be, he respected Aunt Mitzi. But he really loved MJ and sex with her.

He fell asleep in her bed and woke up when the sun hit his eyes. "Shit," he said. 

"Good morning to you," MJ said. She was standing up over by one of the bookcases putting on pajama pants. 

"I'm late," Peter said. "I mean, I assume I am."

"I texted May, you horndog," MJ said. "You're not late for anything, but you will be in an hour or so when Happy's supposed to take you to see Daddy."

"We're not calling him that," Peter said. "You aren't."

"Fine, I was just testing it out. It doesn't work."

Peter had clothes at MJ's so he could change into something clean. MJ insisted he shower and he said, "Should I sneak by your aunt?"

"She knows you're here," MJ said. "Cover yourself before you go to the bathroom."

He kissed MJ goodbye and texted Happy to pick him up there. He sat on the stoop. He definitely had too much time to start getting nervous. It would be fine, it would be fine. He wasn't as angry. Ned wanted him happy and he was happier with Tony in his life. 

Happy was driving him to the mansion. Peter texted him 'please don't try to cook. Takeout is good' with some emojis. 

Tony texted back with a thumbs up. 

When they finally got to the mansion, Happy stayed in the car. Peter said, "Coward."

Happy said, "Nope. Just letting you guys work it out. You could call me Uncle Happy."

"That sounds like a child molester, I'm going to stick with Happy."

Happy nodded. "Okay."

Peter just let himself in and then Tony was hugging him. It was nice. He liked hugs. He liked Tony. The hug was going on a little long. Peter supposed he would let it happen. 

Tony said, "Sorry. Sorry, I should have told you from day one. But I'm me."

"That's an awful apology," Peter said. 

Tony let go and they went to the kitchen where there was takeout from some burger place. Something smelled like it had burned. Peter was really glad that he'd suggested takeout. They ate in silence for a few minutes. Peter said, "I guess you can tell people, if you want. Like the Avengers."

"Oh, they all know. Bruce told them. He's not good at being discreet," Tony said. "Fine with me."

Peter reached for the ketchup. He said, "But, like, what about everyone else? May said I should ask about, um, publicity and stuff."

"She's very smart," Tony said. "I don't really care. Maybe we just, just let things happen. When someone asks, then we'll answer. What were your other questions?"

"None," Peter said. "Not really. Um, what do you want? Like, um, custody? Or something."

"You've clearly thought about this a lot," Tony said, smiling. "You're pretty old for us to divvy up weekends and breaks. You decide what works for you. You're welcome whenever you want to be here, unless you're running away from Aunt May. Cause she's the real parent."

"Totally," Peter said. "I was two years younger when you met me. You could have divvied up weekends then. Just saying."

Tony smiled. "It would have been a pleasure." 

Peter sighed. "Right."

Tony asked about MJ and school and college. Peter talked about MJ and school and college. Tony said, "Last orchestra concert coming up."

"I can't wait. I'm putting away that viola for good," Peter said.

"Aw, come on." 

Peter shook his head. "I don't even like it. I mean, I don't hate it, but I'm not like, yay, playing the viola! Best ever!"

"Hobbies are good," Tony said. "Having something else to do besides think about science is nice."

"What do you do?" 

"See, I'm the negative example, or I was. Now I have Pepper and Morgan." Tony smiled. "And you, right? Not that you're a hobby. Just, just, you know."

"I get it," Peter said. "No offense taken. But I don't need to play viola for that." 

"This is a little awkward," Tony said.

"Yup," Peter said. "Probably about what you'd expect."

They made plans to resume the internship part of Peter's internship. Then Happy drove Peter back to May's. 

MJ got into Columbia which is where she wanted to go most of all. Peter got into MIT and Stanford and decided on MIT. Ned got into MIT and Stanford and decided on Stanford, which he was always going to. "My heart belongs so much closer to the Pacific Ocean, Peter." 

There was going to be a party. Ned's family was already planning one, but they decided to combine one for Peter and MJ and Ned. Especially since part of Peter's family decided to pay for a big event room at a hotel with catering and a karaoke stage. It was a lot of people. MJ had all four aunts, plus two aunt husbands and seven cousins and their spouses and three of their kids. Her grandmother, a bunch of her father's cousins. Ned's family was at least twenty people, Peter didn't try to keep track of how they were all related. Peter just had May and Tony and Pepper and Morgan, plus Rhodey who insisted on coming because Peter was going to MIT. "I have a small family," Peter said. 

"But there's a lot of family at this party," Rhodey said. "Whose idea was the karaoke?"

"Technically Ned," MJ said. "But we make sure there's one for my cousin Paul. He's an amazing singer."

"Absolutely incredible," Peter said. Cousin Paul was ambling towards the karaoke stage but he was distracted by the kiddie play area. They had ten little ones under the age of ten. 

"But he doesn't want a job of music," MJ said. "He hates the idea of touring or dealing with any kind of business. He just does karaoke at parties and blows everyone away."

"Okay," Rhodey said. "I'm waiting."

Rhodey and Tony went on about how great MIT was for Ned's uncle to hear to go on about Stanford. Peter glanced over in case it got bad but instead it stayed aggressively good natured. Ned's uncle was related to Ned. It was a family trait to be a really great person, Peter guessed. Peter asked Ned's uncle what he did exactly. "Ned tried to explain it once --"

"I design structured investments at a financial think tank. It's a real job. You just have to be really smart and well-educated at an excellent institution of higher learning like Stanford," Ned's uncle said. 

"Finances," Tony said, laughing. "That's just advanced math and predictive models."

Peter went over to the play area and sat with Morgan while she played blocks with two of MJ's second cousins. Peter was pretty sure the kids of cousins were second cousins. 

Paul took the stage and was predictably incredible. Peter looked over just to see Tony's jaw drop. MJ smirked at Peter. 

Two songs later Paul did a slow one and they danced in front of the stage. MJ said, "Promise you're going to come visit."

"Of course I will," Peter said. "We're much closer than me and Ned and I'm not letting him be my not best friend. He's going to be my best friend forever."

"Please don't say anything about how I'll be your girlfriend forever," MJ said. 

"Of course not," Peter said. "Someday in the future far from now, I would totally propose and you'd maybe say yes. Then you wouldn't be my girlfriend."

"You don't get to propose when we're seventeen, you jerk. It's not 1910," she said. She kissed his cheek. 

"I'm not proposing," Peter said. He was absolutely sure he was going to one day but he knew better than to say that to MJ. "I'm just saying, please tell everyone you meet at Columbia in a few months that you have a boyfriend."

"With a rich secret daddy," she said. 

"Sure, but I have a lot of good qualities."

No one wanted to follow Paul, but Peter and May sang in the car when she drove them home. 

After the party and Tony showing up again at Peter's school events, rumors were going around. Tony said, "People are asking. So we were gonna say --"

"I don't care," Peter said. "Just don't let people know I'm Spiderman and don't dis May."

"Never," Tony said. "Do the kids even say dis anymore? That feels antiquated."

"I'm a kid, in many ways, and I say it, so, yes the kids say it. I just mean, like, don't give people the impression you are or have been a custodial parent."

"Very official term," Tony said. "Again, would never."

Tony did an interview with Oprah on 60 Minutes. He also did People. "You're all over old media," Peter said. "And you never even said my name."

"That was the plan," Tony said. "Everyone will hear it eventually, but in the meantime, they feel a little bad about it."

Naturally, no one in school felt even a little bad about constantly asking Peter about his new dad. Even Flash. But it all blew over and stopped being interesting after a week or two. Ned said, "All of the senior class is burnt out, man. We're done with this."

"All of this," Peter said. "Also studying for AP exams. That's very time-consuming."

The exams weren't horrible. Peter was pretty sure he'd done pretty well. MJ and Ned expressed similar sentiments. "We're all geniuses who will graduate at the top of our class," MJ said. "We're so dull."

"I'm not dull," Ned said. "I'm scintillating."

Peter nodded. 

One weekend he did unintentionally spend it with Tony. Friday night there was an Avengers thing and it was just easier to crash at the mansion when it was done. It wasn't a full scale Avengers thing, just Iron Man and Spiderman and the Scarlet Witch. It was Peter's first real interaction with her. He found her intimidating and a little scary. But they got the bad guys and Peter just followed Tony back. He was very tired. Tony just spun him around and pointed him towards "his" room. 

Peter woke up when Morgan started banging on his door. It was less awful than it could have been, she had a cute laugh. An actual chef had made breakfast which they all had in the kitchen. They were like a little family unit; watching movies, hanging out. On Sunday morning, Tony said, "Is this the part of the weekend where we play catch? Do you even want to play catch?"

"I played catch with Ben, I wasn't great at it," Peter said. 

"What's the age appropriate custody on occasional weekends father son activity? Should I buy you a car?" Tony looked around for his wallet like he was just going to do that. From the living room. 

"Nope, that's not it," Peter said. "I don't need a car." 

"We can go driving, if you want. Teach you how to drive again. That feels age appropriate," Tony said. 

"No thanks," Peter said. "Maybe we could just play video games? I feel like that's age appropriate. At many ages."

"Works for me," Tony said. 

He didn't actually have video games, he had very sophisticated simulators. Flight simulators, driving simulators. "Should I buy a gaming system?"

"Yes, you definitely should," Peter said. "Morgan's gonna kick your ass."

"Honestly," Tony said, "I would love every single moment of that. I'm enjoying this right now. Even though it's not competitive, I feel like I'm winning and that's awesome."

"Yeah, I've never flown a plane before, you're better than me," Peter said, laughing. 

A few weeks later, they were collaborating at the lab, actual collaborating. Peter always enjoyed that. Then Tony just stopped and threw an arm around him. A nice side hug. Peter liked hugs, he really did. Tony said, "I just want to emphasize that I really like you as a person. You're great, kid. I really like spending time with you. I like you. I mean it. I know I'm only responsible for, in your eyes, a few genetic traits in there. But I really just genuinely like you. Please remember that."

Peter shrugged and didn't stop himself from smiling. "Yeah, I get it. I like you, too, mostly."

"Glaring faults aside, I'm not so bad. I'll take it."

Peter even hugged him back. 

There were actually paparazzi at his high school graduation. For Peter. It was gross. But also there were Avengers there for Peter. And his father. His dad? He couldn't pick a word that felt right in his head. But it was something parental. Not Aunt May parental, but something just a little less than that. Tony, he was there. For Peter. 

He was only fourth in his class. That was pretty awesome for being Spiderman. He'd been injured a lot. He'd had more concussions than anyone else in his class. Fourth was pretty damn impressive.

He posed for too many pictures hanging on Tony and May. Or Tony or May. Or Tony and Pepper. He said, "I'm very fond of my 1.8 parents, I mean it." 

Tony said to him quietly, "I'm .7 and Pepper's .1, right?"

"Basically," Peter said. 

"I'll take it," Tony said. "Morgan, come take pictures with your brother." She let go of May's legs and ran over. 

Then after a lot more pictures, he snuck back into school with MJ. "I thought it might be nice to have a little privacy. At least for a few minutes."

"Maybe I want to make Radar Online in a scandalous story about the Stark's lovechild's out of his league girlfriend." She smiled at him as she plopped down on the floor.

"You love that word. Lovechild."

"It's a classic Supremes song," MJ said. "Every time I say it, I hear Diana Ross singing it in my head. You'd say it, too."

"No, I wouldn't," Peter said. "Every time you say it, I think how it was just a one night stand. It's better than what I used to think, though."

"That you were kidnapped?" MJ patted the floor next to her. He sat down. 

"I didn't think I was kidnapped, I figured, you know, it's 2001, you give up your kid for adoption, it's probably something bad. Where you don't want to be reminded of the dad."

"That's really dark, Peter," MJ said. 

"So one night stand child is definitely better," Peter said. 

She leaned against him, her head on his shoulder. "I don't care how you got here. I just like you here."

"You love me," Peter said. 

"Fine," MJ said. "But I still don't really care how you got here."

"You really do," Peter said. "I think you care about the part where May and Ben and my parents raised me to be a good person."

"Sure," MJ said. She closed her eyes. "Do you mind if I just nap right here? No one would notice."

"Everyone would notice," Peter said. "You have twenty plus people out there."

MJ slumped down so her head was in his lap. "Five more minutes."

He patted her hair. "Five more minutes it is."

THE END


End file.
